My chins are so silly!

[melissabob]

FYI for those that don't know me...
I have three. Mami and Papi are breeder rescues, and she was preggers when I got them. She had Baby George about a week later, as I was learning about Chins in general! Shocker...but that was 10 months ago and they are crazy and healthy. We've had a few snafus (mostly Papi thinking he needs to injure his hand! He's done it three times on the same hand) but all has gone well. Mami and Baby George (she's a girl!) are in one cage, Papi in another.
Which brings me to my story.
I dunno much about breeding (hence why I AM NOT BREEDING THEM AT ALL) but lately Papi has been "showing off" for the girls. They can see each other from the cages...as they are next door, but about two feet apart. I watch him strut around, chest puffed out and he's very interested in dust baths. The other day when I let him out to play he was trying very hard to get close to their cage and was very irritated at my interference. He kept trying to shove my hands away from him. haha.
The best though is Baby's sudden obsession with where EVERYTHING in the cage is precisely located. I am telling you, one inch out of place and she goes nuts. The cage they have is an old wire cage that has built-in ramps (which I hate and want to get rid of but haven't had the money to replace...)
She's decided she HATES these ramps. I mean, sits and stares at them while chirping and making all sorts of annoyed noises. She tried to tear them down for a good two hours yesterday. So much so she would grab it and pull on it then forget she was on a shelf and fall to the bottom of the cage. Sit there, stare at me or the ramp with the most disgusted look, and return to her hatred of the ramps. I've deduced she wants them on the OTHER side of the opening.

They are a never ending source of entertainment.

 

[Sugarmama]

Hi Melissa! It sounds like you are enjoying your chins! Kudos to you for taking them in and taking such good care of them.

Papi is just being a normal boy--LOL! They are great.

I have a question about the ramps--are they wire ramps? Or solid? If they are wire, I would really encourage you to take them out somehow. Chins break legs in wire ramps all the time, usually requiring amputation. They don't need ramps anyway, since they are such excellent jumpers

 

[melissabob]

Hi Melissa! It sounds like you are enjoying your chins! Kudos to you for taking them in and taking such good care of them.

Papi is just being a normal boy--LOL! They are great.

I have a question about the ramps--are they wire ramps? Or solid? If they are wire, I would really encourage you to take them out somehow. Chins break legs in wire ramps all the time, usually requiring amputation. They don't need ramps anyway, since they are such excellent jumpers

I need to replace the stupid cage. period. Can't take them out as they are a part of the structure of the floor....irritating. They've been in the cage forever and they need out of it, but I am just surviving at the moment.
My grandfather was making me new cages, but had a really bad gall bladder surgery and spent two months in the hospital and isn't able to do it.
this is the crappy cage...

 

[Sugarmama]

If you can't take them out, then they can be covered--do a search on here; someone recently did that and received some good suggestions, ranging from fleece to wood. That way their little legs cannot get through the wire spacing while they are running and jumping.

Their shelves should be covered, too, for their safety Even if you just take some fleece and wrap it around the shelf, you can attach it with tiny lanyard clips underneath or out the side. That way it won't shift when they jump on it.

Are those the mom and daughter? I can just see an ear and a bit of curly tail

ETA: I just re-read about your grandfather. I hope he recovers well.

 

[melissabob]

yep mom and daughter.

I do cover them with fleece, when baby doesn't shred if off. She hates it covered and manages to yank it off within a day. She's so picky. I want to remove the top shelf and ramp...just can't figure out how to do it safely

 

[melissabob]

here's Papi in his cage...this was sometime last summer and he's got a nice wood house for now. until he shreds it all.

 

[TillyChinchilla]

They sounds very entertaining! It is great you have taken them in.

Papi looks a little greasy in his photo. Is it warm where you live? When it gets humid they need them more often.

 

[melissabob]

yeah, he will get that way in less than 24 hours!
Mami and baby not so much. But Papi I have to give a dust bath daily and he STILL gets like that.

 

[melissabob]

...aaaaannnnnnddddd he just rolled halfway across the floor taking his dust bath. Got so into he rolled totally out of it and across the carpet. Too funny.